Photographic enlarger



April 29, 1941. R. SIMMON PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGER Filed Feb. 1, 1940 3v Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1941- R. SIMMON 2,239,760

PHOTOGRAPHIG ENLARGER Filed Feb. 1, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: Rudooh Siam on.

" 10ml. Maw-W ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 29, 1941 PHOTOGRAPHIO ENLARGER Rudolph Simmon, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignor to Simmon Brothers Inc.,

Long Island City,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 1, 1940. Serial No. 316,729

11 Claims.

An enlarger of photographic negatives consists of a light source, a lens, a condenser interposed between the light and lens, and a. negative holder between the condenser and lens. The preferred position of the negative holder in constructions known heretofore was generally fixed and immediately adjacent the condenser. The position of the lens was adjustable to permit accurate focusing. For different focal lengths of enlarging lenses it was necessary to change the condensers which should project an image of the lamp into the optical center of the enlarging lens.

In the enlarger forming the-subject matter of this application, I provide a condenser 01' a size or diameter appreciably larger than the diagonal of the negative. By so doing I can fix the position of the lens at such a distance from the condenser that an image of the light source is Projected into the optical center of the enlarging lens which results in maximum efilciency, and I accomplish accurate focusing by adjusting the position of the negative between the condenser and the lens, 1. e., adjustment is had by "negative focusing'rather than lens focusing.

Another object of the invention is to adapt an enlarger for the use of lenses of different focal lengths without change of condensers or their respective positions. v

A further object is to provide a supporting frame for the enlarger which is extremely rigid and, by reason of its angular position, effects easy adjustment of the projected picture from the negative upon the sensitized paper'resting on the base board or easel.

Another object is to permit rotating of the film larger embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a lamp housing and condenser housing;

'Fig. 4 shows exterior fragmentary views of the bottom of'the lamp housing and the top of the condenser housing illustrating the means'of looking them together;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a film holder, showing a film in its position;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a top plate of the film holder; and

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a bottom plate of the same;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a seat for the Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of details of the focusing adjustment;

Fig. 13 is an elevational view, partly in section of a detail of the parts shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 shows the enlarger mounted upon a table for convenient operation and, in dotted lines, the enlarger in a position in which the film or negative holder rather than rotating of the frame of the enlarger or the easel better to adjust the picture;

Still another object is to provide means which permit the rotatable film holder to be tilted to secure in combination with a tiltable easel distortion free prints at full lens openings;

A still further object is to embody in an enlarger of this type, a removable lamp unit with a housing which is ventilated in a very simple and effective manner.

Further objects reside in the structural details of an enlarger made according to the principles of the invention which are designed for simplicity in operation, economy of manufacture, and utmost efficiency.

In the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an en can be projected upon the fioor sized images; v

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view along the plane of line -I5-I5 in Fig. 1, illustrating the locking and release mechanism for the film holder;

Fig. 16 is an exploded view in perspective, on an enlarged scale, of parts shown in Fig, 15;

Fig. 17 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in elevation, also on an enlarged scale, of parts shown in Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a front elevational view showing the film holder tilted and in combination with a tilted easel to eliminate distortion in the print;

Fig. 19 is a diagram of the position of the enlarger shown in Fig. 18. 1

Fig. 19A is a diagrammatic view of a negative in which the image is distorted; and

Like characters of reference denote similar support, taken along theto obtain large parts throughout the several views and the following specification.

28 is a baseboard at one extremity of which is located a pedestal 2| having rotatably fastened upon it a turntable 22 with upturned lugs 28, to each of which girders 24 of substantially U cross sections are secured. A lock screw 28 fastens the turntable 22 to the pedestal 2| in any desired position. Girders 24 are inclined forwardly over the baseboard and have their tops connected by a stringer piece 28. Additional cross pieces 28a are provided between the girders to give the structure additional rigidity. It is obvious that the entire girder assembly can be swiveled upon the pedestal 2| by rotating the turntable 22.

21 are frame members for a focusing carriage at both sides of the girder assembly. Each frame member is substantially U-shaped having an upper leg 28 and a lower leg 2! somewhat inclined toward each other. 30 are rollers secured to the frame members 21 and riding upon opposed end faces of the girders 24 and thus slidingly support the carriage upon the girder assembly. Near the top of each frame member 21 is a housing 3| within which is coiled andfastened upon a suitable shaft a steel spring tape 32, one free end of which projects through the wall of the housing and is fastened to a hook 33 on the stringer piece 25 at the top of the girder assembly, providing a counterbalance for the focusing carriage.

34 is a lock screw at the outside of one of the frame members 21, as also shown more in detail in Fig. 11, and which projects through the member 21 to force a block 35, preferably of Bakelite or other suitable composition, toward the girder 24, the block 35 being fastened by a leaf spring 36 to the members 21, thus traveling with the frame and, when being forced against the girder by the lock screw, effectively clamping the focusing carriage in any desired position.

Slidably supported within plates 31 and 88 across the top and bottom, respectively, of frame members 21, as shown in Fig. 12 and as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, are two parallelly disposed guide rods 88 rigidly connected to a cross bar which carries the negative or film holding mechanism.

4| is a transversely disposed focusing shaft Journaled within oblong holes 4|a of frame members 21 and'near their lowest portions, as shown in Fig. 12 in which parts of the members 21 are shown in dotted lines for sake of clearness. One end of the shaft projects beyond one of the frame members 21 and is provided with a hand wheel 42. From studs 43 in opposed faces of members 21 leaf springs 44 are suspended which are forced against shaft 4| by adjusting screws 45 in studs 46 for the purpose of having wheels 41, keyed to the shaft, frictionally engage the bottom of grooves 48 in the guide rods 39. By turning hand wheel 42, the guide rods 38 are either raised or lowered for focusing Purposes, as will be explained more in detail hereafter, by the friction exerted by the wheels 41 against the rods, respectively, their grooves 48.

Upon flanges 48 on top of lower legs 28 of trally below an aperture 56 in the center of the raised portion 5| of plate I50.

81 is a red filter suspended from a small vertlcal shaft 58 journaled within the plate 58 adapted to be swung about shaft 58 to a position concentric with the lens.

In Fig. 9 is shown a cross sectional view of the girders only and frame portions of the focusing carriage in section. In this figure a strip 59 of fibre or other suitable material is fastened to the inner side of one of the frame members 21. so as to engage both outer faces of one of the U-shaped girders. At the girder opposite to the one just mentioned, two separate blocks Ell ol fibre engage each of the two faces of the girder 21. The blocks 68 are cross connected by a spring 8| centrally fastened to the inner surface of the frame member 21 and are adjustably forced against the girder by means of screws 82. While the assembly just described is located above the plane of hand wheel 34, a similar assembly is located below it, as indicated by the reference numbers 52 for its screws in Fig. 2. By this means loose play between the girder as"- sembly and the focusing carriage is entirely taken up without causing undue frictional resistance, effecting sliding movement of the carriage upon the girders quite easily.

88 are lower bellows fastened with their bottom around opening 55 of plate and with their top to a film holder table 64, having a round central opening 65. The back of the table 84 is bent downwardly at 65c and extends rearwardly at 66 and terminates in an upturned flange 81 pivoted upon a shaft 68 which extends rearwardly from cross bar 40 whichconnects and to which are rigidly secured guide rods 39. The extreme rearwardly projecting end of shaft 88 is supported by an L-shaped bracket a fastened to part 66 of the table.

69 is the bottom plate of a film holder having an opening 10 to.correspond to the size of the picture upon a film 1|. 12 and 13 are lateral projections from the plate to facilitate its handling. 14 is a round extension at the bottom of plate 69 fitting the round opening of table 84. 18 is a top plate of the film holder having lateral projections 18 and 11 and an aperture 18 to correspond with the projections and aperture of bottom plate 69. Dowels 19 in the bottom plate guide the film 1| and engage holes 88 in the top plate to bring both apertures 18 and 18 in register.

8| are upper bellows, the bottom of which are secured to an apertured pressure plate 82 which compresses the film holder, and the top of which is fastened to support plate 83 connected to inturned flanges 84 of the upper legs 28 of frame members 21. 85 is a round opening through plate 88 having a recess 85a surrounding it, as shown in Fig. 10.

88 is a shaft journaled between inturned flanges 81 and 88 of portion 61 of the table 84. s-shaped levers 88, rigidly connected to shaft 86, are pivis fastened to one of the ends 0! the shaft I.

which projects outside of' flange 81. 84 is a trigger slidlngly mounted upon'the shaflt 88 between hand wheel 88 and one of the levers 88, having a finger plate 88, an arm 88 and a pin".

the handwheel 93 and the finger plate ll. Hand wheel 93 is turned, until the pin II in arm I! engages through an opening 8!, as shown in Fig. i

16, a hole Illll in flange I] which it enters by force of the spring 98. In this position the pre$- sure plate 82 is held ofi the filmholder in which the film can then be changed. should it be desired to have the pressure plate flbear down again upon the film holder, it is onlynecessary to force the finger plate 95 of the trigger 96 against the hand wheel 93 to disengage the pin'el from hole Hill in flange d'l when the action of spring 9i forces the levers 85 and thus the plate 2 downwardly against the film holder.

Up-turned flange SI of the rear extension of the table 64 is extended at one side and below inturned flange 88 at it! .to terminate in a handle knob W2. W3 is an arcuate slot in extension iti having shaft 55 as its center. screw through slot its screwed into the cross bar fit immediately behind extension IIII. By rotating the handle knob I02 and with it extension WI and the entire pressure plate release mechanism, as well as the film holder, about shaft 68 as an axis, the film holder can be given an angular position, as shown in Fig. 18, which is limited by the extent of the slot It: and locked in a selected position for purposes more in detail explained hereafter.

m5 is a small ball seating against a countersunk spot I06 in the rear of extension Ill adjacent its slot I05. m1 is a spring within a recess mm in cross bar 49 forcing the ball, against its seat when the extension it! is in an exactly horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 17. When brought to such a position, the ball snaps into its countersunk seat by action of the spring and makes returning the tilting mechanism to its nor.- mal or horizontal positionla very simple matter.

Fitted into the recess 85a of .the supportplate 83 is a cylindrical condenser housing I. having an annular flange I09 secured to its bottom, and a pair of condenser lenses Ill held in definite relation to each other by a spacer II I. III is an annular washer upon the top condenser lens.

H3 is a substantially cylindrical lamp housing with fins So at its outside and having its lower end reduced in diameter at II4 to flt within the top of the condenser housing. A'pair of-screws H5 in the reduced portion H4 co'act with L- shaped slots 1 IS in the condenser housing to form a lock of the well known bayonet type. Another screw IISa through condenser housing IIII serves, together with screws 5, as handle, and also looks the condenserhousing to-the lamp housing. I I] is a lamp socket at the top of the lamp housing 3 holding an electric bulb II. which is preferably made of opal glass centrally within the housing. H9 is a conical baflle around the bulb or lamp connected to an annular flange III which is Joined to the top of the housing by an inner cylindrical wall IiI. Spacers I22 at the top of the baflle permit airto pass between its top and flange "0.. I23 are a number of open- 4 ings through the dome-shaped top wall of the lamp housing. I24 are openings at the front and.

back of the lamphousing near its bottom having outwardly projecting flanges I25. I" are hoods over flanges I25 in spaced relation'there- IN is a set:

- baseboard 2d.

of cool air past the bulb Hi thus preventing over-heating oi the housing as well as of the condenser lenses. The back of the lamp housing H3 has attached to it a horizontally disposed rod In, either end of which is adapted to rest within substantially T-shaped grooves I29 near the top of each of the frame members 21, serving as a hinge for the housing. By virtue of the T shaped slots, the hinge rod I28 can readily be slipped out of the slots, and thus the entire lamp housing, as well as the condenser housing connected to it, can quickly be removed from the assembly.

. In Fig. 18 an easel is shown resting upon the The easel consists of a bottom plate 830 having hinged thereto a top plate I3I. A slotted lever M2 is pivotally connected to the bottom plate B3B. A lock screw I33 fastened to the to! plate I3I travels within the slot in the lever and serves to lock the top plate in any desired angular position with respect to the bottom plate.

I In the ordinary use of the enlarger, the film is. inserted withm plates 69 and it of the film holder, while the pressure plate 82 is raised by bringing pin Bl in engagement with hole I00 of flange 81. In thisposition the operator has the free use of both his hands. After the film has been properly placed, pressure plate 82 is allowed to" bear down upon the film holder by press ing finger plate 95 against hand wheel 83 and thus release the pin 91 from engagement with the .hole in flange 81, as previously explained.

. brings it closer or farther away from. the lens.

Focusingis thus accomplished by movement of the film with respect to the lens. Inasmuch as the size of the condenser lenses and their respective distances from the lamp and the enlarging lens is so fixed as to project the image of the lamp into the optical center of the enlarging lens. I can use enlarging lenses of different focal lengths with one set of condenser lenses because those distances are not changed during focusing which is accomplished by moving the film holder, that is, focusing is effected by negative (film). focusing.

It is obvious that the inclined position of the girders 24 enables one to project the image upon the baseboard without fouling the girders, because the larger the image, that is, the higher the position of the carriage, the further removed from the girders is the center of the image. The angle of the girders is essentially parallel to the extreme rays emanating from the lens. Should 'extra. large images be desired, the support is with and, preferably, integrally secured-to the lamp housing by means of ribs I21. As shown in Fig. 3, by means of opening I23 and I24 air is permitted to circulate through the housing as indicated by arrows which assures a steady flow simply rotated upon turntable 22 and the image projected upon the floor, as shown in Fig. 14,

The enlarger is especially adapted to correct distortion in negatives. In Fig. 19A is shown diagrammatically, a negative which has been taken while the camerawas held obliquely as, for instance, when photographing a tall building. In order to correct this distortion, 1 project the image from the negative upon the top plate I3! tive until the region in the center of the image indicated by line o--e on the negative and line a'-e on the image appears sharp. Then screw Ill is. loosened and the film holder is turned around shaft '8 in a direction opposite to that of the tilt'angle of the easel,.see Fig. 19, until the entire area becomes sharp and the divergent lines parallel and the image assumes the aspect of Fig. 193 In this connection a large angle of. the easel necessitates a large angle for the film, but for the same film this angle will become smaller for larger magnifications and vice versa. The sine of angle alpha of the easel equals the sine of angle beta of the negative holder multiplied by the average magnification factor which is measured in the plane of the center of the image. The film holder with the negative may be rotated in order tobring desired lines in the image parallel to its margin, or to compose the picture better within it.

If the negative holder is to be returned to its normal or horizontal position, the handle knob I02 is swung around shaft 68 until the extenslon I! is approximately horizontal and moved until ball I05 snaps into recess H16 in which position it is exactly horizontal with respect to the vertical axis of the enlarger.

The lamp housing H3 is well ventilated. Owing to the disposition of the ports I23 and I in the housing and the spaces at the top of the baffle H9, a steady stream of cooling air is circulated through the housing in the direction of the arrows, as indicated in Fig. 3. The entire lamp housing unit with the condenser housing can readily be removed from the carriage by simply lifting the ends of rod I28 out of slots I29 in the upper legs 28 of frame members 21. By' loosening screws H5 and H511 and giving the condenser housing I08 a slight turn, the condenser housing can easily be disconnected from the lamp housing by clearing the screws I I5 through slots H8. The ventilating ports in the lamp housing are either hooded or so disposed that no rays of light can escape through them. Similarly the joints between the lamp and condenser housings and the condenser housing and its support plate B3 are light proof. The cooling of the lamp housing is facilitated by the provision of fins ll3a at the outside. The lamp housing and baille are painted inside as well as outside a dull black on account of its heat repelling characteristics.

The entire carriage is well balanced by means of springs 32 and the minimum of friction obtained with the fiber blocks 58 and 80, as shown in Fig. 9, makes possible moving the carriage with the least effort.

While I have shown bellows between the condensers and enlarging lens, other forms of fiexi I bie means may be employed, and the term "beltearal with the base board.

Moreover, while I have shown two parallel guide rods for the focusing attachment, it is evident that only one guide rod may also be used. or more than two.

It is obvious therefore that many changes of form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principles or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. A photographic enlarger comprising a support, a movable carriage thereupon having a light source, a condenser unit, an enlarging lens in fixed relation to said condenser unit, a laterally rotatable negative holder having separable elements to hold the negative between them inter-- mediate said condenser unit and lens, mechanism to vary the distance between said negative holder and, respectively, said condenser unit and lens, means to tilt said holder, and means to clamp said holder elements together.

2. A photographic enlarger comprising a support, a movable carriage thereupon having alight source, a condenser unit, an enlarging lens in fixed relation to said condenser unit. a laterally rotatable negative holder having separable elements to hold the negative between them intermediate said condenser unit and lens, mechanism to vary the distance between said-negative holder and, respectively, said condenser unit and lens, means to tilt said holder, and means to clamp said holder elements together, said means to clamp being mounted upon said means to tilt.

3. A photographic enlarger comprising a support, a movable carriage thereupon having a light source, a condenser unit, an enlarging lens in fixed relation to said condenser unit, bellows between said condenser unit and lens, a rotatable negative holder across said .bellows having a bottom extension, a seat plate for supporting said holder having a round opening for the reception of said bottom extension, a releasable pressure plate upon said negative holder, a support for said seat and pressure plates, means to tilt said negative holder, seat plate and pressure plate, and mechanism to vary the distance between said negative holder and, respectively, said condenser unit and lens.

4. A focusing carriage for a photographic en larger consisting of spaced frame members adapted slidingly to engage a support, a lamp housing and a condenser unit at the top of thecarriage and supported between said frame members, and an enlarging lens near the bottom of the carriage and between said frame members in fixed relation with said condenser unit, a negative holder intermediate said condenser unit and lens, and mechanism for varying the distance between said negative holder and, respectively, said condenser unit and lens for focusing purposes comprising guide rods slidingly secured to top and bottom parts of said frame members and operatively connected .to said negative holder, and means to raise and lower said guide rods.

5. A focusing carriage for a photographic enlarger consisting of spaced frame members adapted slidingly to engage a support, a lamp housing and a condenser housing at the top of the carriage and supported between said frame members, and an enlarging lens near the bottom of the carriage and between said frame members in fixed relation with said condenser .unit, a negative holder intermediate said condenser unit and lens, and mechanism for varying the distance between said negative holder and, respectively, said condenser unit and lens for focusing purposes comprising guide rods slidingly secured to top and bottom parts of said frame members and operatively connected to said negative holder, a transversely disposed shaft journaled in oblong slots of said frame members, friction wheels secured to said shaft engaging said guide rods, springs adjustably suspended from said frame members and bearing against said shaft to force said wheels in frictional contact with said guide rods, and manual means to rotate said shaft to raise and lower said guide rods.

6. A focusing carriage for a photographic en: larger consisting of spaced frame members adapted slidingly to engage a support, a lamp housing and a condenser unit at the top of the carriage and supported between said frame members, and an enlarging lens near the bottom of the carriage and between said frame members in fixed relation with said condenser unit, a negative holder intermediate said condenser unit and lens, mechanism for varying the distance between said negative holder and, respectively, said,condenser unit and lens for focusing purposes comprising guide rods slidingly secured to top and bottom parts of said frame members, a cross bar rigidly secured to said guide rods, a bottom seat plate and a top pressure plate having said negative holder clamped between them, the said plates being pivotally connected to said cross bar, means to tilt said plates, means to lift and lock said pressure plate off said negative holder, means to automatically return said pressure plate to contact with said holder upon unlocking said pressure plate, and means to raise and lower said guide rods.

7. A photographic enlarger comprising a support, a movable carriage thereupon having a light.

source, a condenser unit, an enlarging lens in fixed relation to said condenser unit, a laterally rotatable negative holder having separable elements intermediate said condenser unit and lens, mechanism to vary the distance between said ne ative holder and, respectively, said condenser unit and lens, means to tilt said holder having a resilient member for co-operating with a socket when said holder is in a normal untilted position, and means to clamp said holder elements together, said means to clamp being mounted upon said means to tilt.

8. A focusing carriage for a photographic enlarger consisting of spaced frame members adapted slidingly to engage a support, a lamp housing and a condenser unit at the top of the carriage and supported between said frame members, and an enlarging lens near the bottom of the carriage and between said frame members in fixed relation with said condenser unit, a negative holder intermediate said condenser unit and lens, mechanism for varying the distance between said negative holder and, respectively, said condenser unit and lens for focusing purposes comprising guide rods slidingly secured to top and bottom parts of said frame members,. a cross bar rigidly secured to said guide rods, a fulcrum stud projecting from said bar, a seat plate and a pressure plate for said holder connected to said stud, means to tilt said pressure plate, negative holder and seat plate around said stud as a fulcrum, releasable means to raise said pressure plate away from said holder and lock said pressure plate in a raised position, automatic means to return said pressure plate to contact said holder upon releasing said releasable means, and means to raise and lower said guide rods.

9. A focusing carriage for a photographic enlarger having spaced frame members, and a light proof lamp housing of substantially cylindrical shape having a supporting rod horizontally disposed at its outside and supported in and co-opcrating with open slots in said frame members for ready removal therefrom, aircooling fins at the outside of said housing, a bulb centrally connected to a socket at the top of said housing, a baffle around said bulb having air passages at its top, said housing having air ports at its top, angular walls shieldin said ports from rays of light emanating from said bulb, outwardly flanged air ports near its bottom, and cap-shaped hoods over said flanged ports.

'10. A focusing carriage for a photographic en larger having spaced frame members,v a light proof lamp housing of substantially cylindrical shape having a supporting rod horizontally disposed at its outside and supported in and co-operating with open slots in said frame members for ready removal therefrom, air cooling fins at the outside of said housing, a bulb centrally conneoted to a socket at the top of said housing, a battle around said bulb having air passage at its top, said housing having air ports at its top, angular walls shielding said ports from rays of light emanating from said bulb, outwardly flanged air ports near its bottom, and cap-shaped hoods over said flanged ports, and a condenser unit fitted over the cylindrical bottom of said housing havin L-shaped slots, and screws engaging said slots, for locking purposes.

11. A focusing carriage for a photographic enlarger consisting of spaced frame members adapted slidingly to engage a support, a lamp housing and a condenser unit at the top of the carriage, an apertured top table across said frame membars for the reception and support of said condenser unit, upper bellows fastened with their top to said table, an apertured top pressure plate fastened to the bottom of said bellows, an apertured bottom table across said frame members, in fixed relation to said top table, a removable enlarging lens in said bottom table, lower bellows having their bottom fastened to said bottom table, a bottom seat plate fastened to the top of said lower bellows, a negative holder clamped between said pressure and seat plates, means to vary the distance between said negative holder and, re-

spectively, said condenser unit and lens, and

means to tilt said holder. 

